Optimizing THE management and sustainable use of forest genetic resources IN Europe

THE PROJECT

GENTREE Duration 1 March 2016 – 28 February 2020 Budget 8 million Euro (6.7 million Euro co-funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme) Partners GenTree brings together 22 public and private research organizations and enterprises, contributing a wide variety of skills, expertise and long-standing experience in the area of forest genetic resources.

backround

information In the context of climate change and continuously evolving demands for forest products and services, the goal of GenTree is to provide the European forestry sector with better knowledge, methods and tools for management and sustainable use of forest genetic resources (FGR) in Europe.

GenTree will improve the status of European in situ and ex situ FGR conservation efforts, support acquisition, conservation, characterization, evaluation and use of relevant FGR in breeding and forestry practice and policy. It will also harmonize, rationalize and improve the management of existing collections and databases, and will strengthen the EU strategy for cooperation on FGR research and innovation.

INNOVATIVE

STRATEGY The project will design innovative strategies for dynamic conservation of FGR in European forests based on two aspects: improved phenotypic and genotypic characterization of important European forest tree species across their entire range, and predicted adaptive responses to environmental changes. Furthermore, it will broaden the range of FGR used by European breeding programmes, currently restricted to a few commercial tree species. Finally, it will elaborate new forest management scenarios and policy frameworks that fully integrate genetic conservation and breeding aspects, to adapt forests and forestry to changing environmental conditions and societal demands.

investigated

SPECIES GenTree focuses on 12 economically and ecologically important tree species in Europe, growing in a wide range of habitats and covering different societal uses and values. The species investigated will be studied at different intensity levels to address relevant scientific and technological questions on existing and predicted threats to their genetic resources. Conifers Abies alba, Picea abies, Pinus cembra, Pinus halepensis, Pinus nigra, Pinus pinaster, Pinus sylvestris, Taxus baccata. Broadleaves Betula pendula, Fagus sylvatica, Populus nigra, Quercus petraea.

MAJOR

OUTPUTS π New scientific knowledge on phenotypic and genotypic diversity in twelve major tree species across environmental gradients in Europe. π Improved monitoring tools for practitioners based on genotyping and phenotyping. π Updated and refined data for information systems of in situ and ex situ FGR collections. π Innovative strategies for conservation and breeding exchanging and using diversified forest reproductive material. π Novel outreach and science-policy support tools to better integrate FGR concerns into forest management and better implement relevant international commitments in Europe.

Engagement of

Stakeholders GenTree will actively promote dialogue with various stakeholders. This will ensure that research directly responds to demand and that research findings influence policies and contribute to sustainable use of forests and their genetic resources. The range of stakeholders involved includes policymakers, forest managers and forest owners, and the European Forest Genetic Resources Programme (EUFORGEN).

List of

partners INRA - Institut national de la recherche agronomique, France CSIC - Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Spain UU - Uppsala Universitet, Sweden AUTH - Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece EFI - European Forest Institute, Finland Bioversity - Bioversity International, Italy PUM - Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany CNR - Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Italy INIA - Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, Spain UOULU - University of Oulu, Finland IGATS - IGA Technology Services, Italy NIBIO - Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research, Norway Skogforsk - Forestry Research Institute of Sweden, Sweden THÜNEN - Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute, Germany ASP - Bavarian Office for Forest Seeding and Planting, Germany NERC - The Natural Environment Research Council, Great Britain ASU - Aleksandras Stulginskis University, Lithuania IT - INRA Transfert, France WSL - Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Switzerland RAS - Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia RPBC - Radiata Pine Breeding Co Ltd, New Zealand LIECO - LIECO Gmbh & Co KGH, Austria

For more information on GenTree please visit the project website www.gentree-h2020.eu or contact: Coordinator

Dr Bruno Fady, INRA, France | [email protected] Project management

Yohan Lecuona | [email protected] Communication & stakeholder engagement

Barbara Vinceti | [email protected]

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 676876. This leaflet reflects only the authors’ views and the Research Executive Agency is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. Photos: © INRA, France, Bioversity International and Fotolia